The Islanders are only four games into the 2026-27 season, and the injury list is already threatening to swallow the start of their year.
It began with Mat Barzal, who re-aggregated the knee injury he suffered two seasons ago and missed all of training camp. Then came the tougher blow on Tuesday: Alexander Romanov tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
On Thursday, the situation got worse when Bo Horvat took a head injury on a cheap shot by Frank Nazar while sealing the game with an empty-net goal. And in last night’s SO loss for the Hamilton Hammers, Isaiah George was hurt and is expected to be out long-term.
The defensive depth is being tested immediately. Romanov’s absence stings especially hard because he had already fought his way back from shoulder surgery that cost him most of last season.
George, meanwhile, had been given every chance to crack the roster out of camp, and he too lost significant time last season because of injury. With Scott Mayfield now in the lineup and Matt Kessell filling the seventh-defenseman role, Kashawn Aitcheson and Marshall Warren are likely next in line for a call-up.
Up front, Horvat’s status is the other major concern. He leads the team with four goals in four games, and there is a chance he plays tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
If he can’t go, or if he misses any time beyond that, the Islanders would be without their top two centers. The good news is there’s some center depth available, with Schenn able to move back from the wing to the middle if needed.
Early-season injuries are never easy, and this stretch is already forcing the Islanders into that familiar next-man-up mode.
In Other News...
Islanders Fans Have A New Puppy Story To Follow This Season
The Islanders spent part of their week at UBS Arena doing more than hockey work, taking part in the 10th annual Pucks and Paws Calendar photo shoot with the Guide Dog Foundation. The project pairs current and future service dogs with players, and the calendar goes on sale Nov. 25 with proceeds supporting the foundations work for veterans, first responders and people who are blind.
It also keeps the teams Puppy with a Purpose tradition rolling along in its seventh year, giving fans another offseason-adjacent storyline to track once the ice gets busier. This latest puppy is just getting started on the path that service-dog candidates follow, and the Islanders are again tying one of their most feel-good community efforts to a cause with a bigger purpose than anything that shows up in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Prospects Big Opportunity Just Took A Brutal Turn
The Hamilton Hammers got a real showcase night in their first home game as the Islanders new AHL affiliate, with more than 14,000 fans packing the building and giving the operation an immediate jolt of buzz. Even in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Toronto Marlies, there was plenty for the organization to like about the setting, which had the feel of an important first step in building the next wave of Islanders depth.
Isaiah Georges night, though, changed the tone quickly. The defenseman left in the second period with an injury, and head coach Jay McKee did not sound optimistic about a quick return, a tough development for a young player who had already dealt with injuries last season. For an Islanders prospect group that needs every meaningful game it can get, losing one of its more interesting blue-line pieces this early is a brutal twist to start the affiliation era. [Read more 🡒]
Mathew Barzal's Return Could Change The Islanders' Biggest Early Problem
The Islanders have been living with an early offensive problem that feels familiar after last seasons playoff miss, when their scoring struggles became a defining issue. Mathew Barzals availability has long been central to how this lineup functions, and his recent progress in recovery offers a timely boost for a team that has not found enough consistency at the top of its attack.
Barzal had been sidelined by left knee inflammation, but he is moving closer to a return and is expected to help steady an offense that has been uneven to start the season. For a club trying to avoid letting another slow scoring stretch shape its year, getting one of its most dynamic forwards back in the mix could matter quickly. [Read more 🡒]